A DECISION to clear a number of trees on the Furness Line at Ulverston has been criticised.

Network Rail have felled a number of trees near the railway bridge at North Lonsdale Road.

The company claimed it was done for safety reasons after a number of residents complained.

However the move has been criticised by residents as well as conservation charity The Woodland Trust .

Oliver Newham, from the trust, said: “Health and safety must always come first, but like many local residents we are concerned that trees are being cleared unnecessarily.

“Trees and woody areas alongside railways such as those at Ulverston, are vital natural habitats, offering corridors for wildlife, and noise and visual buffers for people.

“Residents have rightly been annoyed to see these trees being removed without being consulted.

“This shows why communication is so important. Network Rail must dramatically improve in how it talks to local residents.

“We would always advocate a management first approach, looking for opportunities to maintain as much canopy cover as possible.

“Overall, as the recent independent review in to Network Rail’s management of lineside habitats recently stated, there needs to be a change to their culture wherein valuing the natural environment is a priority.”

A Network Rail spokesman said overgrown trees can cause major disruption.

“Recent stormy weather is an important reminder why we have to take vegetation management on the railway seriously," said the spokesman.

“Overgrown trees can get blown onto the tracks, causing major disruption to passengers.

“The leaves also cause issues during autumn, affecting train braking and acceleration which also causes delays.The vegetation work at Ulverston was kick-started when we were contacted by local residents about the trees.

“We have carried out the work so the vegetation will grow back but in a controlled way. As one of Britain’s largest landowners, we constantly balance the needs of the environment and our neighbours with the needs and safety of the 4.6m people who use the railway every day.”